JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Belgium’s Nyrstar has agreed to acquire 1,25-million tons of zinc in concentrate from Talvivaara for $335-million.

Talvivaara would start supplying Nyrstar in February, ramping up to 90 000 t/y of zinc in concentrate by 2012, with deliveries over a period of 10 to 15 years, the companies said on Monday.

Meanwhile, Nyrstar has agreed to supply to Talvivaara up to 150 000 t/y of sulphuric for use in its leaching process during the period of supply of the zinc in concentrate.

"This agreement is an innovative approach to the continued execution of our strategy. While we will not own or operate the Talvivaara Sotkamo mine, we will participate in the economic benefits of owning a first quartile cash cost zinc mine with a defined life of 1,25-million tons of zinc in concentrate,” said Nyrstar CEO Roland Junck.

Junck added that the Talvivaara zinc concentrates were suitable for treatment at all Nyrstar smelters, but being low in iron, were particularly suitable for treatment at the company’s Budel smelter, in the Netherlands.

Talvivaara CEO Pekka Perä said in a separate statement that the Nyrstar agreement allowed Talvivaara to monetise its zinc byproduct, which would complement its existing nickel and cobalt off-take agreement with Norilsk Nickel.

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